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Feedback

May 01, 2000

* Mark Best: The Motley Fool's weekly syndicated newspaper feature has been popping up in more and more papers across the country. It is in the Virginian Pilot, but not in the Daily Press. It is a great column that answers questions on basic investing and many other interesting topics. I would like to see and read this kind of stuff in your newspaper each week. It is syndicated through Universal Press Syndicate. You might even want to try running it for a few weeks and see what kind of response you get. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

* C.L. of Newport News: Your "Recess required" article states that in Newport News elementary schools, the kids get out for recess 30 minutes every day. They don't. The teachers use recess as a punishment - if they (pupils) don't behave, the teachers take recess away. There are a lot of kids in these schools on Ritalin. Maybe if they got a little more regular physical activity, we wouldn't have to keep on upping their dosage.

* Barb in Hampton: My son is a third-grader in Hampton. He does not receive recess every day. He does not receive physical education every week. P.E. is only once every other week, check your child's school calendar. Health was sacrificed for SOLs. My son's teacher is allowed to give recess for 15 to 20 minutes per day. But the total time is 15 to 20 minutes. This includes lining up 20-plus children, taking them out to play for only 10 minutes or less so she can make it back in the classroom in the 15 to 20 minutes total time allowed. A structured recess or physical education is not a substitute for recess.

* Linda from Hampton: In Saturday's sports section, there was a little write up about HRA and Walsingham who played in the consolation at the spring invitational tournament on Friday. But the people who won the tournament were Hampton Christian Warriors, who beat Atlantic Shores 7-2. But there was only a small line score. I was just wondering why you would have a write-up about the consolation game and not have anything written about the winners of the tournament.

Editor's response: The results from the Hampton Christian Warriors championship game were called in, but didn't make it into the newspaper, except in agate type. Our mistake.

* I'd like to make a suggestion on the information you have concerning the Hampton candidates for school board and city council. It would be nice if you would say at the top of the section how many of those are to be elected. We know there's only one mayor, but for the school board, how many of those are we going to vote for? Thanks a lot.

Editor's response: For city council, voters may choose three candidates from among the six running. Two candidates are running for one at-large seat on the Hampton school board. Two people are seeking the Seat B Chesapeake Bay. Seat C Chesapeake Bay and Seat C Hampton Roads are uncontested.

* Paul from Hampton: I'm calling to complain about the hack job Dennis O'Brien has done on the Poquoson police chief. There's nothing new in this worthless story; it's trying to draw interest to something where nothing new has happened. This piece should be thrown in the river and sent to Hades.

* Henry Brodsky of Poquoson: Regarding the Poquoson police chief story on Sunday: I think it is highly irresponsible for reporter Dennis O'Brien to quote a politician who is not a Poquoson politician and who admittedly did not see the incident for which the chief was reprimanded. Also, Mr. Wiggens, who is a neophyte politician, should learn when to keep his mouth shut.

* Jacquie Hoggard, Denbigh: For the third time in a week, your newspaper has treated Denbigh and its able representative, Mrs. Madeline McMillan, as nonentities. On April 23, your newspaper did not even mention a city council candidate for Denbigh, though we have a very good incumbent. In Friday's paper, Denbigh and Mrs. McMillan again were given a slap in the face when you printed only a brief biography of her and did not print her answers to questions she was asked. We feel it is time to stop treating the northern part of the city and its capable representative like poor relations!